Welcome To ISS Orientation

International Student Services

Meet the Staff of ISS

Purpose of Presentation

Introduce you to your international student services office, ISS.

Provide critical information to help you maintain your legal status.

Complete your mandatory check-in procedure with SEVIS.

The Role of ISSADVICE: Advise on immigration and other governmental regulations.

SUPPORT: Organize orientation and continued assistance.

PROGRAMMING: Offer opportunities for campus and community involvement.

ADVOCACY: Represent and voice your interests, needs and concerns.

Who Is An International Student?

A person on the F-1 or J-1 student visas.

Their purpose in the U.S. is to be a full-time degree seeking student.

They are require to comply with F-1 or J-1 nonimmigrant visa regulations.

For More F & J Visa Information

Consult with ISS: In person: Red Gym, Room 217By e-mail: iss@studentlife.wisc.eduVia the web: http://iss.wisc.eduBy phone: 608.262.2044

Read Access ISS, our electronic newsletter

Government websites: www.ice.gov and www.uscis.gov

Important Note

ISS is here to help, but you are ultimately responsible for your status.

Please do not hesitate to ask us for help at any time.

SEVISThe Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is a secure internet-based system, run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

SEVIS allows schools to: Provide certain authorizations to students. Convey required information to the U.S. federal

government. Parts of SEVIS information can be seen by U.S. Embassies

and Consulates, the school you are attending, and other U.S. federal agencies.

Maintain Your Status

Enroll full time. Accept employment only as authorized. Maintain valid documents:

Passport must be valid at all times. I-20 or DS-2019 must be valid and up-to-date

at all times. Update your address changes in MyUW.

Fulltime Enrollment

You must enroll fulltime during fall and spring semesters:Undergraduates: 12 creditsESL: 6 creditsGraduates & Professionals: 8 credits

6 credits for graduates with a 33.3% Teaching Assistantships (TA) / Project Assistantships (PA)

4 credits for graduates with a 50% TA/PA 3 credits for dissertators Please also check department requirements

Summer Enrollment Fulltime enrollment is required if your first term is summer:

ESL Students = 4 credits Undergraduates = 6 credits Graduates & Professionals = 4 credits. Graduates with assistantship of any type = 2 credits.

After your initial semester, summer enrollment is usually optional.

Graduate & professional students should consult with their departments as enrollment may be required by them.

On-line Courses

• You may take on-line courses, but only one course (maximum of 3 credits) per semester may count towards your fulltime enrollment requirement.

• During your final semester of study, even if it is summer, you must enroll at UW-Madison for credits.

Reducing Your Course Load

There are very few acceptable reasons you may be authorized to enroll below fulltime.

You MUST first obtain approval from ISS before reducing your course load in order to maintain your legal status.

ISS approvals are reported to the federal government via SEVIS.

Acceptable Reasons

Academic or language difficulty- Available for only one semester of the entire degree program.

Final term of study – Available when you do not need a fulltime load to complete your degree requirements.

Medical problem- You can be authorized to take a reduced load for a maximum of one year.

Coursework completed - Graduate students pursuing their thesis or dissertation can be authorized to reduce their course load once required courses are completed.

On-Campus Employment

F-1 Status• No additional work permission

is needed.• Cannot exceed over 20 hrs/wk

during fall & spring semesters.• Can work over 20 hrs/week

during vacation periods (winter, spring & summer breaks).

J-1 Status• Can work with written

sponsor permission letter.• Cannot exceed over 20

hrs/wk during fall & spring semesters.

• Can work over 20 hrs/week during vacation periods (winter, spring & summer breaks).

Off-campus Employment

• Position MUST be related to major(s).• Generally available after maintaining visa status for

one academic year.• Information is available on the ISS website and in

the ISS office. • As you have just arrived, we will not cover off-

campus work regulations today.

The Social Security Number

• Only students with employment are eligible to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN).

• Everyone needs a letter from ISS in order to apply for an SSN. F-1 students: Bring a job offer letter to ISS. J-1 students: If the UW-Madison is your sponsor, apply

for on-campus work permission at ISS. If not, you must request work permission from your sponsor listed on your DS-2019.

Report Your Addresses• Federal regulations require you to report address changes

within 10 days of moving.

• Report address changes through your MyUW:• Home Address must list permanent address abroad.• Mailing Address must list current residence in U.S. • Emergency Address is not required, but strongly

recommended.

• All addresses must be a physical street address. No P.O. Box addresses allowed.

• Your Visa Check-In today is not complete until you Update your addresses in MyUW.

Keep Valid and Accurate Documents

• Your I-20 or DS-2019 cannot expire during your studies. If you need additional time to complete your degree, start the renewal process at the beginning of the semester your document will expire.

• Report to ISS any changes on your I-20 or DS-2019: Field of Study (Major) Degree Level Financial Support Name Dependent Statuses

…continue

• Your Passport cannot expire in the U.S. Contact your home country embassy or consulate in the U.S. to renew your passport at least 6 months before it expires.

I-20I-20 Expiration Date is shown in item # 5 following the phrase, “…and complete studies not later than _______.”

Requesting an I-20 extension even ONE DAY AFTER the expiration date is too late and you would no longer be in legal visa status.

DS-2019DS-2019 Expiration Date is shown in item # 3 following the phrase, “Form Covers Period From:_______and To:_________.”

Your Visa May Expire While in U.S.It is okay for your F-1 or J-1 visa in your passport to expire while you are in the U.S.

The visa must only be valid when crossing the border to enter into the U.S.

Since the F or J visa can expire without consequence while you are in the U.S., it is not possible to renew your visa while inside the United States.

I-94 Arrival/Departure Card

Get Your I-94 Card

• Go to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html• The following information is required to retrieve your

Admission (I-94) number. Enter the information as it appears on the passport you used to enter the U.S.: – Family name– First name– Birth date(MM/DD/YYYY)– Passport number– Country of Issuance– Date of Entry (stamped inside your passport, and – Class of admission (F1 or J1).

Grace Periods

The grace period is the additional time permitted in the visa status after completing the academic program.

•F-1 students have a 60-day grace period to legally remain in the U.S. to pack, travel, apply for OPT or another academic program, or change visa status.

•J-1 students have a 30-day grace period.

•If you if you withdraw from the university, with ISS permission you may be granted a 15-day grace period.

Maintain Your Student Status

• Enroll Fulltime during the academic year at the school listed on your I-20 or DS-2019. Obtain ISS authorization before reducing your course load.

• Keep your I-20 or DS-2019 valid and extend it with ISS before it expires.

• Renew your Passport with your home country consulate before it expires.

• Work only as authorized.• Abide by the law. Conviction of a crime that leads to UW

disciplinary action could jeopardize your status.• Depart the U.S. within your grace period.

Travel EndorsementTo re-enter the U.S. you need:• Valid passport• Valid visa stamp• A travel endorsement (less than 6 months)• Financial support documents

Page 3 of I-20

Lower rightcorner ofDS-2019

Tips For Your Travel:

• Check if you need visas for the countries you are visiting, or transiting through, especially if you are not going home.

• Check the expiry date of your visa. If you do need a new one, allow sufficient time to obtain it. Visa applications can take a month or longer due to security and background checks.

• Expect travel delays.

Dependents

• F-2 and J-2 dependents are the spouse and children (under 21 years of age) of the F-1 and J-1 student.

• F-2 and J-2 dependents are required to report changes in U.S. and foreign addresses within 10 days of moving using the AR-11 form. Available online at www.uscis.gov.

Dependents

J-2 Study Eligibility:J-2 spouses are allowed to study

J-2 children may study at any level until they reach 21 years of age

J-2 Work Eligibility: J-2 spouses may apply through the USCIS to obtain temporary work authorization

F-2 Study Eligibility:F-2 spouses may not engage in full-time or degree-related study

F-2 children may study at the elementary and secondary school levels (no college prep courses)

F-2 Work Eligibility: F-2 dependents are not permitted to work at all

General Advice• Make and keep copies of all your visa status

documents: I-20 or DS-2019 I-94 card F-1 or J-1 visa stamp Passport (photo & expiry pages)

• Do not carry around your documents unless needed.

• Keep originals in a safe place and copies in separate location.

Pay Your Tuition

Are you getting funded from your government or a third party for your education? If so, stop by the Bursar’s office at 333 Campus Mall or visit their website www.wisc.edu/bursar to set up your account properly and to learn how to pay tuition.

UW E-mail Policy• All students must activate their university Net ID and their UW

“@wisc.edu” email account.

• The UW email account is the University’s preferred means of communication with all students.

• Students are responsible for all information sent to them via their UW email account.

• If you choose to forward your UW emails to an outside email provider, you are still responsible for all information and attachments sent to you that may be lost through filters and spam settings.

Rules & Regulations Pop Quiz

Where is the ISS office located?

What are the ISS office hours?

True or False?

It is okay for your visa to expire in the U.S.

How many credits do you need to enroll for during fall and spring semesters to maintain your F-1 or J-1 status?

What do you need to get from ISS when you travel outside of the country?

How long does it take for this service?

What are three of the things you need to do to maintain your legal status?

Update Your Addresses

• Don’t forget to update your HOME and MAILING addresses in your MyUW after orientation.

WE CANNOT REGISTER YOUR SEVIS RECORD UNTIL THIS IS DONE.

Our ServiceOur goal is to help you transition successfully to life in the U.S. and at UW-Madison. We aim to help cultivate, advance and interconnect your academic, personal, social and professional development goals. We look forward to working with you throughout your studies!

Help us help you: Please bring your current visa status documents when you

visit ISS (Passport & I-20 or DS-2019). Please do not wait until the last minute; document

requests and authorizations may take up to 2 weeks to process.

Orientation Final Announcements ISS Orientation link

PowerPoints International Student Handbook International Student Guide YouTube videos

Shopping Trip New International Student Welcome Reception Trolley Tour of Madison Residence Hall Linens CellularLD

Please submit your orange ISS Receipt!

If you do not have one, please see the check-in table or an ISS staff.

You must submit your ISS Receipt in order to be properly registered in SEVIS.

Welcome to UW-Madison!